- Flight
- about 6.5 to 7 hours westbound
- Departs
- King Khalid International
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- London is 2 to 3 hours behind
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
Riyadh to London is about six and a half to seven hours nonstop. Saudi Arabia does not change its clocks, so London is three hours behind in the winter and two in the summer.
Different weekends
The Saudi weekend is Friday and Saturday. London’s working week runs Monday to Friday. That means Sunday is a working day in Riyadh and a quiet one in London, and Friday is the reverse. Plan your messages for days when both cities are awake.
The law at home
What is lawful in England and Wales may not be lawful where you live, and the law at home can apply to what you do abroad. The UK law guide covers England and Wales only, so make sure you understand your own position before you travel.
The flight home
The flight home is the quicker one. Heading east you have the jet stream behind you rather than against you, which is worth about an hour on a route this long, so London back to Riyadh is shorter than the flight you took to get here. Pleasant, and easy to forget when you are working out how much of the day the return will eat.
Before you book
What you need depends on your passport, not on where you live. Many nationalities need an electronic travel authorisation, some need a visa and some need nothing. The official check if you need a UK visa service gives the answer for your passport, and the rules change, so check before you book.
Worth reading first
The visitor guide covers what to expect, and the UK law guide sets out the law in England and Wales.
When to get in touch
London runs 3 hours behind you. Messages sent between about 2pm and 2am your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come. For most people that is the evening and the night, so send in the evening and expect the answer to be waiting when you wake.
Areas near where you land at Heathrow
The big figure is the straight line distance from the airport in miles, and nothing about travel time, which in London is always longer. Each page has the stations, the route from Heathrow and the measured rates.
Also close to where you land, with no profiles of their own but a guide to getting there and how outcall works: Feltham, Hayes, Hounslow, Southall.
Other cities in The Gulf
See every departure city
Cities with a similar flight time
Common questions
How long is the flight from Riyadh to London?
The flight from King Khalid International takes about 6.5 to 7 hours westbound. Add the connection time if your fare has a stop, and allow for getting to and through the airport at both ends.
What is the time difference between Riyadh and London?
London is 2 to 3 hours behind. The United Kingdom and most other countries change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks each spring and autumn the gap shifts by an hour.
What time should I message from Riyadh?
London runs 3 hours behind you. Messages sent between about 2pm and 2am your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come. For most people that is the evening and the night, so send in the evening and expect the answer to be waiting when you wake.
Which London airport do flights from Riyadh land at?
Most land at Heathrow, about fifteen miles west of central London and on the Piccadilly line and the Elizabeth line. Some services use Gatwick, to the south, so check the airport on your ticket before you book a hotel.
Do I need to arrange things before I fly?
It helps. Good diaries fill days ahead, and arranging from home means you are doing it awake and unhurried instead of jet lagged in an unfamiliar city.
Is escorting legal in the UK?
Yes, in England and Wales it is legal for two consenting adults to exchange sex or company for money. What is illegal is the activity around it, such as soliciting in the street, running a brothel or controlling someone else's work. The Crown Prosecution Service sets this out in its published guidance.
Is prostitution legal in the UK?
Selling and buying sex between consenting adults is not itself a crime in England, Wales or Scotland. Northern Ireland is the exception, where paying for sex has been an offence since 1 June 2015. Public soliciting, brothel keeping and exploiting another person's work are offences in different forms across the UK.